GUILTY NV - Alyssa Otremba, 15, raped & murdered, Las Vegas, 3 Sept 2011

[Fairy1]

The Las Vegas community is so horrified by this crime and the circumstances under which it was committed. Even the news reporters don't seem to be able to mask their contempt.

There is a vigil at Alyssa's school tonight.

 

[Fairy1]

LAS VEGAS -- The man accused of the rape and murder of a 15-year-old Las Vegas teen appeared in court for the first time Thursday. Javier Righetti made an initial appearance in front of a judge, and for the family and community grieving the loss of Alyssa Otremba, this is the first step in their long search for answers and justice.

http://www.8newsnow.com/story/15418250/suspect-accused-of-teen-girls-murder-due-in-court

 

[Jan]

What a horrible ending to the life of a beautiful, sweet, young teen. Seeing the photos of her with the pit bulls made me really identify with her, as I have and love pit bulls. I just wish she had been driven to her friend's house and not allowed to walk, or that someone had walked with her. Walking alone made her an easy target. So terribly sad. I hope Nevada has the death penalty.

 

[xdeadboltx]

Hey everyone, I work at a hospital here in vegas. Alyssa was found in the desert close to the hospital. Lately, that area of town seems odd. You get a bad feeling over there. I feel bad for the mother, and for Alyssa. The news claim this monster was following her for some time and he knew what he was going to do to her. The kitchen knife was from his own home. I believe this kid should get the death penatly. Also I seen a few people think the friend that drove the Javier to the gas station shouldnt be punished. What if that kid never said anything or his girlfriend?

 

[fhc]

http://www.lvrj.com/news/grand-jury...view-student-s-slaying-131348843.html?ref=843

Posted: Oct. 7, 2011 | 12:50 p.m.
A Clark County grand jury indicted Javier Righetti Friday in the brutal sexual assault and slaying of 15-year-old Alyssa Otremba over the Labor Day weekend.

Righetti, 19, also was charged in the March kidnapping and sexual assault of another 15-year-old girl who survived the attack.

 

[joe jones]

http://old.news.yahoo.com/s/ap/2011...gas?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

pleads NG, state say they will seek the death penalty

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.scrippsmedia.com/ktnv/ne...ing-15-year-old-Alyssa-Otremba-297686851.html

A 2016 trial date has been set for the man accused of killing 15-year-old Alyssa Otremba in September 2011 as she was walking in the desert near her home in the Centennial Hills area.

Javier Righetti is accused of raping the young girl and stabbing her multiple times in a tunnel near her home. He then set her body on fire...

A judge set Righetti's new trial date for March 15, 2016.

 

[TweekTweak]

Seriously? This guy has been sitting in jail without any justice served for nearly 5 years. Any reason why it's taken so long?

 

[0101ABA]

Man pleads guilty, faces death penalty in Vegas girl slaying

Javier Righetti pleaded guilty Feb. 11 with no promise that he won't be put to death for the September 2011 slaying of Arbor View High School sophomore Alyssa Otremba, who had texted her mom that she was walking home.

A jury next month will consider whether Righetti should be executed.

http://baytownsun.com/article_e4198689-9e3f-55c6-83ea-619a1b894700.html

 

[0101ABA]

Judge tosses plea in slaying of Arbor View High School freshman

In a highly unusual move, at the request of prosecutors, a judge on Thursday tossed out the guilty plea of a man who a month ago admitted to the rape and murder of a 15-year-old Arbor View High School freshman.

In February, Javier Righetti, 23, pleaded guilty to 10 counts, including murder with use of a deadly weapon, first-degree kidnapping and sexual assault with a child in the Sept. 2011 death of Alyssa Otremba.

At issue is the most serious charge: first-degree murder. District Judge Michelle Leavitt rejected Righetti’s plea on that count Thursday, after prosecutors said his admission did not meet their requirements.

(...)

Righetti’s plea in February did not include a theory of “wilfull, deliberate and premeditated” murder, which prosecutors said must be included in the deal.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/la...chool-freshman

 

[MamaJoJo]

So does that mean that Righetti simply changes his plea to include the wording that the prosecution wants or does it mean that the case will go to trial?

 

[0101ABA]

So does that mean that Righetti simply changes his plea to include the wording that the prosecution wants or does it mean that the case will go to trial?

Righetti's attorneys are appealing the ruling to the Nevada Supreme Court, but if the high court upholds the plea rejection, Righetti could potentially go to trial.

Deputy Public Defender Christy Craig said the judge should have been able to reject the plea only at the time it was entered.

“I’m not sure on what grounds the court can reject the plea after the court’s accepted it and made findings that it was a valid plea,” she said.

That leaves the future of the case against Righetti unclear. In October, he is scheduled to face a jury that could sentence him to death. If the high court rules that his guilty plea should stand, the jury would decide his penalty. If Leavitt’s rejection stands, Righetti could go trial on the murder charge.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/las-vegas/judge-tosses-plea-slaying-arbor-view-freshman

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Death penalty trial for a man accused in rape, murder of 15-year-old postponed

http://www.reviewjournal.com/crime/homicides/death-penalty-trial-man-accused-rape-murder-15-year-old-postponed

The death penalty trial for a man accused in the rape and murder of a 15-year-old Arbor View High School freshman was postponed Tuesday after his lawyers said they wanted a hearing on his mental capacity.

A psychiatrist hired by Deputy Public Defender Christy Craig found that 24-year-old Javier Righetti has an IQ that ranges between 65 and 75, and he has the “inability to remove himself from a bad idea.”

Prosecutors said they are not opposed to the hearing, but asked District Judge Michelle Leavitt for time to conduct their own tests on Righetti.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Family of teen rape, murder victim still await prosecution of suspect five years later

http://news3lv.com/news/local/man-who-confessed-to-arbor-view-teens-gruesome-murder-back-in-las-vegas-court

"He took a huge part of our life away," said Jennifer Otremba, Alyssa's mother.

Jennifer has attended every court hearing for the last five years and she's ready for justice to be served.

"That choice that he made that day, to take Alyssa's life, is what's altered the rest of my life, my family's life and it's been a difficult journey," said Otremba.

It's a difficult journey that still haunts the community five years later.

Righetti heads back to court next week. The District Attorney is seeking the death penalty.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Family of Alyssa Otremba still seeking justice after 5 years

http://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/family-of-alyssa-otremba-still-seeking-justice-after-5-years/659537181

The case has been dragging on in the court system, but the Nevada Supreme Court just upheld a lower court decision to reject Javier Righetti's guilty plea and send the case to trial.

Righetti's plea did not include an admission that the killing was premeditated which basically voided the plea deal.

The victim's family is grateful the trial can now proceed. They plan on fighting until justice is served.

"It is a victory and I think that it's important our case has set a lot of precedence," said Jennifer Craig Otremba, Alyssa's mother.

She took to Facebook to show her gratitude for the Nevada Supreme Court's ruling that will force her daughter's accused killer to stand trial for murder instead of getting a plea deal.

Righetti is scheduled for a court hearing next week where arguments are expected on his mental capacity and whether he should face the death penalty.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Judge to consider mental capacity of man accused in rape, murder of 15-year-old

http://www.reviewjournal.com/crime/homicides/judge-consider-mental-capacity-man-accused-rape-murder-15-year-old

Lawyers for Javier Righetti say he suffers from an intellectual disability and should not face the death penalty for the rape and killing of a 15-year-old Arbor View High School freshman.

A psychologist hired by defense attorneys testified Wednesday that Righetti’s mental capacity is diminished when it comes to practical skills in life.

“It really is a condition,” the psychologist, George Woods, said when asked about Righetti’s wide-ranging IQ test scores. “It’s not a number.”

“He certainly can’t testify that he didn’t do these things because he’s pled to them,” Craig said. “I can’t sit here and say he’s an innocent man because he’s not. We effectively are prevented from putting on a defense because we cannot say those things didn’t happen. It would be a lie.”

Pesci said evidence of Righetti’s plea would not be revealed to a jury.

“There’s no harm, no foul,” he told the judge. “We can go forward as it is.”

The hearing regarding Righetti’s mental capacity is expected to wrap up Friday, but it is unclear whether Leavitt will rule from the bench.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Judge finds Javier Righetti mentally capable to face death penalty

http://www.reviewjournal.com/crime/courts/judge-finds-javier-righetti-mentally-capable-face-death-penalty

She sees a monster in a quiet courtroom. Sometimes he turns around and looks into her eyes.

In the past 5½ years, as she waits to learn his fate, Megan Otremba has exchanged glances with the man who confessed to raping, killing and mutilating her older sister and best friend, 15-year-old Alyssa Otremba.

“I see someone who doesn’t respect human life,” Megan Otremba said. “And I see someone who didn’t even think about the consequences of his actions. He didn’t think about any of it. Yeah, I see a monster.”

On Thursday, a judge decided that the 24-year-old Righetti is mentally capable of facing the death penalty. If sent to Nevada’s death row, he would be the youngest man in one of the solitary cells in upstate Ely, isolated 23 hours every day.

The Otrembas think it’s a fair penalty, although they would respect a jury’s decision.

“He didn’t consider her life,” Jennifer Otremba said after the judge’s ruling. “We’ve been fighting for justice for her.”

The defendant is scheduled to go to trial on a murder charge March 6.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Capital murder trial underway for man accused of raping, killing Arbor View freshman in 2011

http://www.reviewjournal.com/crime/homicides/capital-murder-trial-underway-man-accused-raping-killing-arbor-view-freshman-2011

Prosecutors painted a picture of a predator during opening statements Thursday in the capital murder trial of Javier Righetti, who is accused of the 2011 rape and killing of 15-year-old Alyssa Otremba.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Giancarlo Pesci used a multimedia presentation to show jurors pictures of Alyssa and her northwest valley home. He included diagrams and maps of the route she walked that day to get a school assignment from a friend and to show where she was stalked and intercepted.

The Arbor View High School freshman was less than 300 yards from home when she was raped, mutilated and killed.

Pesci told jurors that Righetti, then 19, later had a friend drive him to get gasoline and went back to burn Alyssa’s body. Pesci said it didn’t stop crime scene analysts from matching sperm found on the girl with Righetti’s DNA.

Testimony begins in trial of man accused of killing teen girl

http://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/testimony-begins-in-trial-of-man-accused-of-killing-teen-girl/670093757

Daniel Ortiz took the stand Friday to testify against the man he once considered a close friend.

He told jurors he met Righetti at his home in Sept. 2011 after the defendant asked him to come over. Ortiz had been out on a date with his girlfriend.

When he got there, Ortiz testified, Righetti appeared 'mellow' when he told him he 'merked' a girl, which is slang for murder.

Ortiz says he didn't believe him at the time.

Righetti then asked his friend for a ride and money. The duo made several stops and at some point bought gas, matches, and drinks.

Ortiz says he also noticed Righetti was carrying a duffle bag but he still didn't know what exactly was happening.

Eventually, they went out to an undeveloped desert area where Righetti allegedly killed 15-year-old Alyssa Otremba.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Forensic witnesses take stand against suspect in brutal 2011 murder

http://news3lv.com/news/local/forensic-witnesses-take-stand-against-suspect-in-brutal-2011-murder

“We had information a bag with bloody clothes would be in the bathroom attic space,” Crime Scene Analyst Megan Ross-Lynch testified.

A knife with a broken tip also was found at the Righetti residence. Alyssa's autopsy revealed a piece of metal in her body.

“You see the edges; they match up very nicely,” testified forensic scientist Thomas Melville.

Jurors saw evidence of scrapes and cuts on Righetti’s body, including a cut to his thumb that required stitches. Prosecutors say Righetti got the injuries after he savagely stabbed his victim more than 80 times.

Jury hearing unusual issue in Las Vegas death penalty case

http://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/jury-hearing-unusual-issue-in-las-vegas-death-penalty-case/671467146

A state court jury is considering an unusual question in the death penalty murder case of a Las Vegas man whose guilty plea to murder in the 2011 rape, torture and mutilation of a 15-year-old high school sophomore was rejected by the state Supreme Court.

Righetti's plea to the murder charge in February 2016 was rejected because Righetti didn't specifically admit the killing was willful, deliberate and premeditated.

His court-appointed defense attorney, Christy Craig, says she's unable to present a defense to the jury because her client already pleaded guilty.

The trial is moving along quicker than expected. If Righetti is convicted, he could be sentenced to death.

The trial resumes Thursday morning. That's when prosecutors will call their final two witnesses to the stand before resting its case.

It's unclear if the defense will call anyone to the stand.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Las Vegas jury convicts man of first-degree murder in 2011 killing of Arbor View freshman

http://www.reviewjournal.com/crime/courts/las-vegas-jury-convicts-man-first-degree-murder-2011-killing-arbor-view-freshman

It took a jury less than 30 minutes Thursday to find Javier Righetti guilty of first-degree murder in the 2011 stabbing death of a 15-year-old Las Vegas girl.

Earlier in the day, Chief Deputy District Attorney Michelle Fleck had described the crime as “the personification of every parent’s worst nightmares.”

Prosecutors now plan to seek a death sentence for Righetti, who was 19 when he committed the murder. The trial’s penalty phase is set to begin Friday morning.

In her closing arguments Thursday, Fleck used Righetti’s hourlong confession to Las Vegas police to show jurors that the crime met all the justifications for a first-degree murder conviction.

“This is not a whodunit,” she said. “There was an avalanche of evidence in this case, and that’s before we get to the chilling confession.”

Righetti’s defense did not present closing arguments. After the jurors left the courtroom to deliberate, however, Deputy Public Defender Christy Craig asked District Judge Michelle Leavitt how much she could tell the jury about Righetti’s stricken guilty plea.

“To this day we’re not sure what the court is going to let us explain to the jury,” Craig said.

The fact that Righetti already had taken responsibility for the murder should act as a mitigating factor during the trial’s penalty phase, she said.

Leavitt ruled that she did not want the jury wading into the murder plea and the complicated legal battle that ensued. Jurors have not heard about Righetti’s pleas to the other charges.